Ignorance is Bliss
by serendipitious7
Summary: She should have known that this was coming. They were, after all, making history. If you knew about the future - the past - would you go back - forward - and change it? Ignorance truly is bliss. CHAPTER 5 REVISED, BUT CHANGES AREN'T BIG: MAINLY STORY FLOW
1. Chapter 1

She should have known that this was coming. They were, after all, making history. If you knew about the future - _the past_ - would you go back - _forward_ - and change it? _Ignorance truly is bliss_.

Note: The characters and setting of this story do not belong to me. Sadly enough, they are the property of the creators of Inuyasha. Other than that, enjoy!

Ignorance is Bliss

Chapter 1

Kagome loved everything about the Warring States Era.

She loved camping out under the (pollution free!) night sky: feeling safe with Shippo to her right, Sango to her left, Miroku next to Sango, and Inuyasha watching over them from his tree branch. She loved petting Kirara and giving Shippo candy: laughing as Sango slapped Miroku. She loved riding on Inuyasha's back, watching his (adorable!) dog ears twitch as he listened to sounds no human could hear. Yes, Kagome enjoyed everything about the past.

Except for one thing (well, two things, but Naraku was a given).

She HATED falling behind on her schoolwork.

In the years before her fateful fifteenth birthday, she had done considerably well in school. She may not have been the class genius, but she ranked pretty high and worked very hard. She _still_ worked hard (harder than ever) but, after her tumble down the well, she simply had no _time_.

Her grandpa would tell her that what she was achieving was more important than tests and scores. Her mama would smile and tell her that she was doing great. Souta would encourage her and Buuyo would mew agreement, but Kagome would still feel miserable.

Even so, it was only after failing her 5th history test in a row that Kagome realized she _might not make it to the next grade_.

After this epiphany, Kagome did the only thing she could do; she _panicked_.

* * *

"Eri, what would you do if you were failing history?" Kagome addressed the girl sitting next to her. It was after school on a lazy Thursday afternoon; Kagome had dragged her three friends to WacDonalds, hoping to get some helpful advice.

Eri blinked, slightly startled by the question.

"_Failing_! Kags! You can't be failing! History is your best subject! Yuka cut in. Ayumi nodded in agreement.

"Not anymore," Kagome angrily stabbed a fry into the ketchup, "I flunked the last test. There's no way I'm still passing." She popped the fry into her mouth and viciously chewed.

"You _have_ been gone a lot lately," Eri observed.

"Yeah. All those diseases: the blue-footed fungus, heart burn, joint problems, muscle surgery, and Alzheimer's. That must have been awful!"

(_Why oh why couldn't her grandfather be normal for once?!_ Kagome inwardly cringed at her new list of ailments. _Alzheimer's?!?! That's suppose to be incurable!_)

"And you're still getting all that trouble from the two-timing boyfriend!" Ayumi continued, "Haven't you dumped him yet?"

"Inuyasha?!" Kagome raised her hands in protest, wondering how the conversation had gotten so off topic. Her 'two-timing boyfriend' seemed to be the only thing her friends were interested in anymore. "For the last time, he's not my boyfriend!"

"Ah-ha! So he has a name!" Yuka cried in triumph.

"Dog demon?" Ayumi raised an eyebrow in slight confusion. "What kind of name is that?"

"True. It is a bit……abnormal."

"Perhaps it's a family name?"

"Or a nickname?"

"A street name?"

"You aren't suggesting he's a gangster?!?!" Ayumi and Yuka both turned to look at Kagome. Even Eri looked intrigued. "Well, is he?"

"No! Of course not!" Kagome sighed, "Now, can we _please_ get back to my history problem…."

Kagome's pleas fell on deaf ears as Yuka and Ayumi continued to talk amongst themselves. Sighing, Kagome rested her head on the table and resigned herself to another 'Inuyasha discussion'.

"Well, if he's anything like his name suggests, you have to be careful Kagome. You really should dump him." Yuka lectured.

"It's not as simple as that," Kagome mumbled half-heartedly. Yuka's eyes widened and Ayumi looked shocked.

"You don't LIKE him, do you?" The two chorused in unison, eyes filled with glee. Kagome mentally groaned and decided that leaving seemed like the best option.

"I have to go," Kagome stood up and attempted a smile, "I'm babysitting Souta tonight and mom's expecting me home soon." She placed some money on the table and picked up her book bag. She had almost turned around when she heard Eri call:

"Wait up, Kags. I'll walk home with you."

Kagome paused long enough for Eri to stand up, dust off her skirt, and pick up an armful of books. It was only after they had walked out of WacDonalds and halfway down the street that Eri looked at Kagome and smiled.

"Sorry about Ayumi and Yuka," Eri switched to a teasing, pseudo-motherly tone of voice, "We're just so happy that our little Kagome's all grown up and in_ love_." Eri gave an over dramatized sigh: clasping her hands in front of her face in a classic theater pose. Kagome dug her elbow into Eri's ribs, laughing.

"Cut it out!"

* * *

"Kags," After another few bouts of laughing and teasing, Eri had calmed down enough to say what she'd wanted to say, "If you need help in history, you could ask someone to tutor you." Kagome grimaced at the idea; there was no way she could convince Inuyasha to let her come home often enough for tutoring.

"That's probably not the best idea."

"Well, there's another option: our teacher _is_ offering an extra credit opportunity to a few students," Eri's words instantly captured Kagome's attention, "It's a research assignment on the Warring States Era. Remember the mystery of Tuzuki's castle? You have to research it, formulate a hypothesis on what actually happened, and write a report on that. Points are awarded for how convincing your argument is. You should ask our teacher about it. I'm sure he would let you participate….."

Kagome nodded, ecstatic. This was perfect.

* * *

It was late Saturday night: 7 days since Kagome had arrived home and half a day before she was expected to return. Her yellow backpack was propped up against the wall: bulging at the seams and filled to the brim with clothes, food, textbooks, and various other commodities. Inuyasha would be arriving to escort Kagome down the well first thing in the morning and he was surprisingly adamant on punctuality.

After double checking her first aid kit, Kagome walked up to her desk and pulled up her chair. Opening up the internet to her computer (a recent Christmas gift), she typed in a search for Tuzuki Castle. She immediately got thousands of results.

This wasn't really surprising: Tuzuki castle had become a pretty famous mystery, mainly because it made _no sense_. Clutching a sheet of paper that contained her teacher's instructions for the extra credit opportunity, Kagome clicked open the first promising site and started reading.

It turned out to be redundant: a simplistic background report that regurgitated information Kagome already knew.

Tuzuki had been a daimyo that owned a rather inconspicuous but surprisingly wealthy piece of land. One night, his castle had simply disappeared, leaving all the residents dead. The only ones who survived the incident were a group of monks that had had taken up holdings in outlying regions where the castle used to be. They had woken up to a rather rude shock.

The strangest thing about this mystery, though, was the lack of bloodshed. If blood had been spilt, it would have simply been another battleground: destroyed by war or demons or worse. Instead, the corpses simply appeared to be asleep. Personally, Kagome wasn't ready to rule out the option of 'demons' just yet.

As Kagome navigated her way through a few other bum sites, she ran a series of calculations in her head. Tuzuki Castle had disappeared exactly 500 years in the past during the Warring States Era: what were the odds that the disappearance would be occurring sometime soon on the other side of the well?

Now curious, Kagome typed in another search for the exact date of the castle phenomenon. She smiled and did a mental victory dance at the answer. Tomorrow was the first day of April. The castle would disappear on the night of April 30th, 500 years in the past. If she waited for a month and managed to convince Inuyasha and the others to pay Lord Tuzuki a visit, she might get a first-hand account of what actually happened.

Elated, the dark haired teen ran a third search on details of the disappearance. Luck seemed to favor her as she conducted her search: the first site that she encountered was a journal entry written by a priest that had help to bury the dead residents of the castle.

Clicking open the link, Kagome began to read:

…_The corpses lie on the ground, untouched. They appear to have died in their sleep and lie where their beds in the castle used to be. There is almost no bloodshed and the priestesses have confirmed that none of the corpses were poisoned. It brings a shudder to my bones as I ponder the nature of their deaths…_

…_The monks that have survived the disaster sit on the ground, fingering their prayer beads and muttering incoherent phrases. Their eyes gaze into emptiness: they appear to be in a shocked stupor. We have done our best to comfort them; the priestesses are preparing a brew that they claim will ease the troubled minds of the survivors…_

…_Most of these bodies have been indentified as belonging to the staff and heads of the castle but, as we performed burial, we found a handful of corpses that belong to strangers. We are puzzled to find that all except one of these unknown bodies are mangled beyond recognition. These few corpses are the only signs of violence in this otherwise peaceful battle field. The one recognizable body is of a young male with strange silver hair, wearing a red fire-rat hatori and carrying a broken sword…_

Kagome reread the last sentences, staring at her computer in shocked disbelief. Was this account suggesting……?

She mouthed the words and felt something tear at her heart.

_The one recognizable body is of a young male with strange silver hair, wearing a red fire-rat hatori and carrying a broken sword…_

No. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. Kagome shook her head in denial.

_But who else wears a fire rat hatori? _

If that corpse was who she thought he was, then Inuyasha would be dead by the end of the month.

* * *

Author's note:

Ok. This my first story, so please review? Encouragement and critcism will be appreciated, especially critcism on writing style. I'll try to update as soon as I can (aka in about a week).


	2. Chapter 2

The second chapter! Yay! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! Your comments are especially appreciated!

Disclaimer: The characters and setting of this story belong to the creators of Inuyasha. They are NOT mine.

Enjoy!

Ignorance is Bliss

Chapter 2

_If that corpse was who she thought he was, then Inuyasha would be dead by the end of the month. _

It was a dream. It had to be. Any minute now, Kagome would wake up with keyboard imprints on one side of her face, having fallen asleep at the computer without noticing.

It was a nightmare: too surreal to actually be happening. Because stuff like this - reading about the future death of one of the most important people (if not THE most important person) in you life - only happened in the movies.

It made her head hurt and her heart beat itself into a panic.

Kagome pinched her arm and, when that failed to drag her out of what _must_ have been her over-active subconscious mind, bravely tipped her chair on its hind legs until she fell over backwards. She hit the floor hard: landing with a 'thud' and sitting there, rubbing the pain out of her back. Black spots momentarily danced across her vision.

The dark spots cleared and she found herself staring from her position on the floor at those traitorous words that were somehow still on her computer screen. Lying there in a semi state of shock, the wheels in her brain fell into place with a 'click' and she was hit with the enormity of the situation. This was no dream.

Getting up from the floor, she ran out of her room, down the stairs, and out the front door. Worry was bubbling up within her: seething and boiling like some prehistoric volcano about to erupt.

She needed to see him. She needed to make sure he was alright.

_Oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please_

Tearing out of the house and sprinting to the well, blood pounding in her ears, the concerned cries of her mother barely registering in her head before being pushed out by an all consuming _fear_; Kagome ripped open the well house door. Stumbling, falling down the last few steps; she threw herself down into the time portal. She'd barely touched ground before she was up again: scrambling her way up and out of the Bone Eater's Well.

Her vision blurred, and then cleared again. Kagome hoisted herself over the well's edge. Her bare foot caught on the wood and she stumbled: pitching forward on to the grass. She caught herself and picked herself up, gasping for breath and sobbing, and raised her head….

_I need to see you_

To meet a pair of concerned amber eyes.

* * *

She was crying. That was the first sign that something was wrong.

Inuyasha had been sitting by the well, impatiently waiting for dawn to break so he could go through the time portal and take back HIS Kagome (_ since when has she been yours?)_, when he heard something scrambling and sobbing. A few moments later and, as Inuyasha watched in concerned confusion, the very Kagome that he had been thinking about clumsily stumbled out of the well.

She was crying. That was never a good sign.

Then she'd looked up to meet his gaze and he saw that _look_ on her face. Forehead furrowed in a mix of anxiety, concern, and fear: jaw clenched and mouth slightly open: eyes filled with tears and worry and _something else_.

It was the same look she wore when Kagura had been about to shop off his head, when the Windscar had backfired, and when he had been full human and infected with the spider demon's bite.

She only wore _that_ look when he was on the verge of death.

Though he'd never admit it, that look scared him more all Naraku's minions combined. Hell, it even scared him more than Kagome's other I'm-about-to-'sit'-you-into-the-ground look. That look meant he was dying and, as far as he knew, he wasn't about to kick the bucket anytime soon.

Kagome stood up and wordlessly walked toward him, arms outstretched in a silent hug. Biting back a customary crude retort (so you missed me _this much_, eh Ka-go-me?), Inuyasha returned the embrace and rubbed her back as a sort of comforting gesture. Despite what Miroku and Shippo seemed to think, he wasn't entirely an insensitive jerk.

He pulled her closer, inhaling a scent of rose petals tinged with anxiety. He couldn't recall ever seeing her act this upset before.

"What's wrong, Kagome?"

And Inuyasha grew even more puzzled when he felt Kagome _freeze_.

_What the hell?_

* * *

How in the world could she answer a question like that?

_"Well, Inuyasha, you're going to die in a mysterious castle disappearance in about 30 days from now."_

_"Oh, is that why you're so worried?"_

_"Y-yeah…" (Kagome begins to sob uncontrollably. Inuyasha rubs her back and wipes away her tears. The wind begins to blow, gently toying with their hair. Romantic violin music can be heard in the background)_

_"Don't worry sweetheart, I won't do anything to hurt you. I'll stay here, safe and sound, away from that mysterious castle. I promise. Doesn't that make you feel better?"_

_"Y-yeah…" Kagome stops crying and smiles, "Thank you, Inuyasha."_

_"Anything for you, darling,"_

_The wind picks up and the violin music reaches a crescendo as Inuyasha and Kagome gaze deep into each other's eyes and Inuyasha moves in for a kiss…_

There was no way _that_ was going to happen. Kagome knew Inuyasha too well: he would most likely run off toward the danger, laughing and boasting that he was indestructible. God knew he had done that numerous times before. If Inuyasha was anything, it was stubborn. He never backed down from a fight, even if it meant death: a quality she admired and was exasperated with at the same time.

So Kagome couldn't tell him: not only out of fear that he would embrace the danger, but also out of consideration. Knowing about your own imminent death would have a taxing toll on anyone's mind. It wouldn't be right to place such a burden on him.

Kagome took a deep breath and moved out of Inuyasha's embrace. Now that she knew he was safe, her head had cleared. Kagome had also thought with her emotions and, now that the overwhelming fear in her heart had been pushed back to more tolerable levels, she could think more clearly. She had one month: 30 days to figure out how to prevent this catastrophe. She needed help.

She couldn't tell Inuyasha. She couldn't tell Miroku, Sango, or Shippo either: at least, not yet. There had been a handful of other bodies aside from Inuyasha's that had been mauled beyond recognition; since they all traveled together, those corpses were most likely theirs. Heck, for all she knew, _she_ could have been one of those corpses.

_But then how could I exist in my time? If I die in the past, wouldn't I be gone from the future? Or am I on a different timeline?_

Kagome stood up. She needed to talk this over with someone more experienced than she was. And if her friends were out of the question, there was really only one option left.

"Oy! Aren't you gonna answer my question?!" Inuyasha stood up too, a slightly annoyed and mostly confused expression on his face. Kagome paused and drew another calming breath.

"I…I can't tell you right now. I need to see Kaede."

"Take it easy," Inuyasha snorted, "The old hag's probably sleeping by now. Besides, don't you wanna go and get that back-pack thingy that you always carry?"

"Later. I really need to talk to Kaede right now. I'll go back for it later."

"Fine, _Lady_ Kagome. Shall I escort _Your Highness_ back to our _humble_ village?" Inuyasha waved his hand, emphasizing his words with airs to deliberately annoy the dark haired girl. He looked more than a little surprised when all Kagome did was mutter a

"Yeah… thanks…"

Kagome had started to walk back toward the village when she was suddenly lifted up and placed on Inuyasha's back. She blinked and almost smiled. "Thank you…"

"I ain't doing this for you," Inuyasha's voice was rough, harsher in his false act at indifference, "If you walk into a ditch on your way to Kaede's, I'm the one who's gonna catch hell for it."

This time Kagome did smile: the anxiety in her heart melting away for a brief moment as she snuggled in to his back. And, though Kagome couldn't see it, Inuyasha smiled too: moments like this had become all too rare.

* * *

Lady Kaede had been asleep, as Inuyasha had predicted, but had quickly woken up as soon as she saw the expression of Kagome's face. At Kagome's request, Inuyasha (despite much protesting) had left the two priestesses to talk alone and disappeared into the forest.

It was only after she was sure Inuyasha had left that Kagome sat down and began to explain the events of the last hour. It was a relief to finally be able to confide in someone: to be able to seek another's advice and opinions.

The old priestess had listened with great solemnity: her expression impenetrable and attentive after an initial expression of shock. After Kagome had finished her tale, Kaede had nodded once in a thoughtful manner before replying:

"I admit that I have never heard tell of this Tuzuki Castle. Ye must ask Myoga if ye seek more information: he is far worldlier than I. I shall do what I can to help ye, but I am afraid my help is limited.

Ye should talk to Inuyasha about this trouble: I know ye are concerned, but Inuyasha is no light-hearted fool. He has lived with the threat of death over his head before. That is what makes him strong. It is like I said before: Ye must work _together_ with Inuyasha, Kagome."

Kaede blew out a breath and let out a tired sigh before continuing:

"This is a taxing situation indeed. We need to learn more of this mysterious disappearance before we make any decisions…"

"Oy! Old hag!" There was a knock on the wooden wall of the hut before Inuyasha strode in, followed a stranger wrapped in a traveling cloak, "Sorry to bother you, but there's a traveler here says he needs to see ya." Inuyasha jerked a thumb towards the stranger.

"Alright Inuyasha," Kaede got to her feet and looked toward Kagome, "Give me a little while to ponder this problem, and I shall talk to ye more about this then." Kaede turned and nodded toward Inuyasha and the traveler. "Now, what is this about?"

Inuyasha moved to stand next to Kagome as the traveler bowed to Kaede and moved to take off his cloak.

"Lady Priestess, my village needs help," the stranger's voice was on the higher end of the low spectrum, reminding Kagome of a male adolescent who was still growing into his vocal chords.

As he removed his cloak and folded it up in his arms, Kagome's eyes widened and froze. For the second that evening, she was speechless with shock. Another piece of the puzzle clicked and, suddenly, the old pieces didn't seem to fit anymore. Inuyasha froze too, sensing Kagome's surprise.

The traveler was definitely a young male, probably in his mid-teens: a year or so younger than the 16-almost-17-year-old Kagome. He was slightly shorter and thinner that Inuyasha. His eyes looked to be green, which was rare in Warring States Japan. Like Inuyasha, though, the stranger's hair was _silver_.

He wore white pants with red streaks and was also dressed in a _red hatori_ that Kagome automatically knew was woven from fur of the fire rat. Across his back was strapped a pair of light swords: smaller than most swords and made for double-sword fighting.

Kagome blinked. And blinked again. Her memory spun back to a sentence she had read not too long ago.

_The one recognizable body is of a young male with strange silver hair, wearing a red fire-rat hatori and carrying a broken sword…_

_Could I have been wrong?_

* * *

**Author's notes:**

Wow. I seem to like ending stories with cliff hangers….

Alright! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!! Same standards apply: I am looking for constructive criticism on writing style. If anything bothers you about the way this story is written, PLEASE TELL ME SO I CAN FIX IT (Note: if it's utterly ridiculous, I'll probably ignore it).

So review. Please?

I'll try to update soon!


	3. Chapter 3

Ok. Third chapter is up and I'm issuing a challenge for anyone who wants to accept!

Can you solve the mystery of Tuzuki Castle before Inuyasha does?

Pay careful attention to Shinichi's story in this chapter. I'd be REALLY surprised if anyone solves this. Note: more details on this challenge will be revealed after the chapter.

For now: enjoy!

Disclaimer: the characters and settings from the anime and manga Inuyasha do not belong to me.

Shinichi and this plot, however, are completely original.

Ignorance Is Bliss

Chapter 3

_

* * *

_

_Could I have been wrong?_

* * *

The stranger's hair was different from Inuyasha's: the traveler had silver bangs that extended as far as his cheeks and fell to frame his face. The rest of his hair was pulled up in a shoulder-length ponytail that was faintly reminiscent of Inari Nobunaga's hairstyle.

The traveler's hatori varied from the clothing of the hanyou: whereas Inuyash's fire-rat robe had full sleeves and matched the color of his pants, the traveler's hatori barely extended past his shoulders. The rest of his arms were covered by the white shirt he wore underneath, and his pants were white with streaks of red.

There was no way the intruder could be mistaken for Inuyasha: their builds, faces, and eyes were too different. Not to mention, Inuyasha was a half-demon while this stranger was obviously human.

Still, despite these differences, Inuyasha and this stranger were too alike for Kagome's comfort. The description on the internet had been vague.

Could she have been wrong? Had she been worrying over Inuyasha's life on a whim? Was it, in fact, this unknown character that would be found dead by the time April drew to a close? And how could she be sure it was one of the two men in front of her that would lose their life? There were probably more men out there that fit the description. For all she knew, it could be someone she would never even meet.

She needed more information before she could make any sort of decision.

But, for a brief second, Kagome's heart had sung with relief: Inuyasha's distinguishing characteristics weren't quite as unique as she had thought. At least there was a _chance_ that she had been wrong.

No sooner had she thought that than another side of her heart constricted with guilt. She shouldn't be _happy_ over _anyone's _death, even if that stranger dying meant a loved one spared. She felt despicable.

And now, as time seemed to freeze and she stood still, a third emotion roared back in and settled down, preparing for a long stay. She was anxious again. Someone was going to die and she couldn't find it in her heart to just sit back and let that happen.

_"Whadda ya wanna do, Ka-go-me?" Inuyasha sat on the river's edge, wringing the water out of his sleeves while glaring at the young girl that had dared to pushed him in to the river. "You can't go around savin' the whole damn _world,_ and you sure as hell ain't gonna drag _me_ into helpin' ya! We ain't gonna be able to help _everyone_ that comes around with some sob story!" _

Although Inuyasha didn't know it then, his words had struck a chord. After that day, whenever Kagome came across an unknown person seeking assistance, she was reminded of the limitations of her actions.

Kagome had a heart of gold: if she could have, she would have helped everyone that asked. She wanted to save the world.

But that just _wasn't possible_. Even Inuyasha, with his larger-than-life-and-too-stubborn-for-death strength, couldn't help _everyone_. Everybody had to die, and many people died before their natural clocks ticked out. That was just the way it was. One teenage girl couldn't change that, even if she had the help of her group of friends.

But this felt different to Kagome: if she could potentially prevent a castle-wide massacre (albeit mostly peaceful), wasn't she obligated to do so? Sitting back and letting it happen couldn't possibly be right, could it?

Or would she just be making it worse? Would she be changing time or (and she flinched at this) would she be inadvertently dragging Inuyasha to his death?

Suddenly everything didn't seem so simple anymore.

As confusion swirled through Kagome's head, she was sure of two things: First, that Kaede had been right in her advice (Kagome needed information and assistance now more than ever) and, secondly, that she couldn't stand to lose Inuyasha.

Kagome would rather have someone else - _anyone else_ - die than watch Inuyasha fall. It was a selfish request, but those closest to a person automatically take precedent over those far away and everybody has a special someone whose death would hurt more than any other.

She had exactly 30 days before this mystery would come to a close. There was no time to waste in freaking out.

Kagome sucked in a stabilizing breath, and then nodded a farewell to Kaede before walking out of the hut. Inuyasha followed her, easily keeping pace.

She was going to find old Myoga and see if he knew anything about Lord Tuzuki and his soon-to-be infamous castle.

* * *

While Kagome had left the hut, the traveler had sat down to the invitation of Priestess Kaede.

He had walked a long way to get to this village and was worn out, but still managed to sit on his knees, hands fisted on his thighs in a customary indication of respect. He had already removed the swords strapped to his back and set them aside in an act of reassurance against harm. This was, in all purposes, a formal meeting and he intended to leave no lapse in manners for the old woman to reflect on later when she considered his requests.

He bowed his head and waited, forcing his breathing into a calm, well controlled pattern. He kept silent: it would be rude to start talking without invitation, especially when one's hostess was such a respected priestess.

"Nay, child," Kaede, acclimated to Inuyasha's rude manners, was quite frankly startled by such a display of courtesy, "Ye need not bow in such a manner to me. Why don't ye sit in a more comfortable position: Ye look very weary to my eyes."

Slowly, hesitant with disbelief to drop his acts of formality but secretly happy at a chance to rest, the silver-haired human refolded his legs more comfortably but didn't dare to go so far as to lean against the wall for back support. After all, he still wanted to make a good impression and his personal ego wouldn't let him show such a sign of weakness.

A few heartbeats later and Kaede, realizing that her current companion wasn't going to drop his acts of formal respect, decided to start on the conversation.

"What is your name, child?"

"Shinichi," a calm reply.

_Shinichi: 'the real one'. What a strange name. _

"And why be ye here, Shinichi?" Kaede asked, continuing with the interrogation format of their conversation.

"I come to ask for your assistance," another calm, automatic answer.

"Continue," Kaede nodded.

"I…that is…my village is in trouble," Here, Shinichi hesitated, unsure how to explain the bizarre situation that his people had fallen into. "This may sound strange, but please listen to my entire story before you judge.

"Lately, things have been changing in my village. It started after a traveling artisan by the name of Hibiki arrived. He appeared harmless and soon received permission to build a hut and set up a shop. He was a talented metal wielder and those that could afford it immediately flocked to his shop for new knives, plows, and spears. It wasn't long before he became a bit of a legend among our people: he was not only talented, but very courteous and hard to anger.

Late last autumn, Hibiki died, presumably of natural causes: the old man was getting on in years. We mourned his death and buried him in our village graveyard. Due to an imminent snowstorm, his hut was left untouched and has remained so." Here, Shinichi took a break from his story to swallow past a lump in his throat.

Kaede, who had been listening intently, adjusted her eye patch to hide her confusion: there seemed to be nothing wrong with the boy's village. She vaguely wondered if this was an elaborate prank, but the noticed that Shinichi's hands were trembling. He looked disturbed and scared out of his wits.

Kaede decided to continue listening to the boy's story: after all, it couldn't hurt.

"During the middle of winter," Shinichi licked his lips and continued, "The people in our village started acting more and more courteous towards each other. I know this sounds incredibly insane, but you have to believe me: this isn't _normal_!" Shinichi looked like he was practically in tears.

"Even old Ai, the village grouch, stopped complaining about everything. Everyone was a little _too_ nice!"

"Did it ever occur to ye, child, that perhaps our people were drawing inspiration from the courteous behavior of Hibiki the artisan?" Kaede voice came out cold: this tale seemed like nothing more than a joke.

"Of course, Lady Kaede," Shinichi's voice cracked in his anxiety, "That was exactly what I thought at first. But that's not it. I know it's not! There's no way that's the answer, because Akiko would never….I mean…..It must be some demonic work! I….I ….I….Akiko….she….."

"That's enough, child," Kaede was weary: it was long past time she went to bed, "I have heard many strange tales over the years and know well what demons are capable of. I shall help you if I can. What exactly do ye ask of us?"

Shinichi's eyes widened and sparkled in gratitude and relief.

"Thank you! Many, many thanks!" He enthusiastically bowed his head on the floor, "Thank you!"

Kaede smiled in amusement.

"Please, Priestess," Shinichi looked up and met her gaze, "Your village has become infamous for your group of demon slayers. If you could please send them to help us…."

"Demon slayers? Does ye mean Inuyasha and his friends?" Kaede's other eyebrow rose.

"Yes! That's it!" Shinichi broke into a wide smile, "My village doesn't approve, but they don't know I'm here. My people have tried their best to block out that name, but news is still carried on the wind."

Kaede raised an eyebrow.

_They block out Inuyasha's name? Why would an ordinary village have such a grudge against him?_

Kaede rose and gestured for Shinichi to do the same.

"Take a day and rest. I shall introduce ye to Inuyasha and his friends in the morning. For now, it is getting late. I believe we can find a roof and some food for ye."

Kaede escorted Shinichi out the door. "Oh, before I forget, what is the name of this village of yours?"

"Kimura village," Shinichi easily responded, "It's not too far from Lord Tukuzi's castle, but you've probably never heard of it: no one has."

* * *

Author's note: And that's Chapter three! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!

More information of the challenge: Can you solve the mystery of Tuzuki Castle? Are you better detectives that Inuyasha and the gang? If you think you can, step right up and take this challenge!

Your challenge: tell me what happened at Tuzuki Castle, in enough detail to avoid vagueness, and support your conclusion with evidence. In other words, this is exactly like Kagome's extra credit history opportunity.

You can ask questions for help, but that doesn't mean I'll answer them. You get the exact same information that Inuyasha and the others are given.

If you think you have the answer, write it out in a review and I'll tell you if you get it right in the Author's note of the next chapter. I might even drop hints.

So....

that's all

Please review and I'll try to write chapter 4 as soon as possible (aka by next weekend, maybe friday if i'm lucky).

:)


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 is uploaded and I've finally got over 10 reviews! Woot! (Yes, I do realize that the fact that I'm happy over this is incredibly sad).

Special thanx to all those who took a minute out of their day and actually commented on this story: you guys are awesome.

The rest of you people: please review and express some sort of viewpoint. It only takes about a minute and, if you don't, I'm going to assume you all have no opinon (which probably - hopefully - isn't true).

Anyways: here's chapter four. Remember, I don't own Inuyasha.

Have fun!

Ignorance is Bliss

Chapter 4

* * *

_"Kimura village," Shinichi easily responded, "It's not too far from Lord Tukuzi's castle, but you've probably never heard of it: no one has."_

* * *

Kagome's search wasn't going well. Old Myouga the flea, true to his nature, was nowhere to be found. She had searched under every rock and cranny and, in a brief moment of thoughtlessness, had even gone so far as to ask Inuyasha if she could search his body.

_That_ had warranted a raised eyebrow and a barely visible blush, followed by Inuyasha scooting as far away from her as possible. By the time Kagome had thought back on the implications of what she had said, Inuyasha was a good yard away. Kagome had flushed to the tips of her hair: turning redder that Inuyasha's hatori, and attempted to stutter an explanation.

It was hard to believe that a _flea_ could cause so much trouble.

Finally, getting tired of walking around and looking ridiculous, she returned to Lady Kaede's hut to clue her in on the recent developments in what she had dubbed 'the Tuzuki Mystery'.

She saw Kaede standing in the doorway of her home, apparently deep in conversation with the strange boy from earlier. Kagome raised her arm, about to call out a greeting, but Kaede beat her to the punch.

"Kagome, could ye and Inuyasha come here? I need to speak with ye." Kaede looked troubled. Kagome felt a pang of sympathy as she walked over to the hut, Inuyasha trailing behind her: this couldn't be easy on the old priestess's health.

"Whadda ya want, old hag?" Inuyasha crossed his arms, starting the conversation with his usual tact. Kaede gestured toward Shinichi and nodded encouragement. The silver-haired boy bravely stepped forward: and expression of mixed determination, awe, and fear on his face.

"My name is Shinichi and I have come here to seek the help of you and your friends," Shinichi bowed his head in respect, ever polite. "Please, word has spread to my village of the power of you and your band of demon slayers. My village in under some sort of demonic attack: my people have been acting so strange lately that that is the only plausible answer."

"And what's that got to do with me?" Inuyasha elegantly arched an eyebrow, like an emperor passing judgment. Shinichi paled, doubtful. Kaede opened her mouth, exasperated and about to step in, but Inuyasha's counterpart spoke again.

"I've heard rumors that have said," and here Shinichi seemed to hesitate for a split second, "that _you_ used to live in our village. The elders won't talk about it, but there are records. That why I sought you out: _surely_ you wouldn't turn your back on your own village?" By this point, a pleading tone had entered the young boy's voice.

Inuyasha seemed to freeze.

"Name?" He growled, forcing the words from his lips. At that instant, he seemed more dog than human.

"S-Shinichi!"

"Not you, you idgit! Your village."

"K-Kimura. Kimura Village! Near Tuzuki Castle!"

Inuyasha flinched: a miniscule tensing of the muscles that would only be noticeable to those paying close attention. Kagome flinched too, a much more noticeable action than Inuyasha's tense. Surprisingly, Kagome's shock was largely unnoticed by Kaede and Shinichi, who were paying direct attention to Inuyasha. Inuyasha, however, had seen Kagome's odd behavior. There was a pause: a heartbeat.

"Yeah," Inuyasha's expression was a stony type of scornful. He had apparently recovered from his momentary lapse of character. "I've been there a couple of times. Wouldn't say I was ever _welcome_ much, though; It sure as hell ain't _my village_."

"Does that mean you'll help?" Shinichi looked hopeful. Inuyasha's stony expression seemed to melt a little as he looked at the younger boy. Shinichi reminded Inuyasha of an old childhood memory from long ago: of climbing trees with another silver-haired companion. Inuyasha snorted: Hibiki had been Inuyasha's only childhood friend until his parents, in a last ditch effort to keep their son away from the 'demon child', had forced him to go into training as an artisan hired under Lord Tuzuki. He'd shown considerable talent and quickly moved up the ranks. Hibiki's old friendship with a certain dog-demon was soon forgotten. That had been over 50 years ago: Hibiki was either old or dead by now.

But Shinichi looked so much like Hibiki: they had the same hair color and same style of dress. Inuyasha wouldn't have been surprised to find that Shinichi was Hibiki's blood relative. Silver hair was, after all, fairly uncommon. Even including demons, Inuyasha had only seen a handful of people with that kind of hair strand.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. She seemed puzzled by something. He turned his head to look at Kaede. She was looking at him in a stern manner: her expression silently promised no end of death threats if he didn't at least try to help the younger teen. He inwardly gave a 'feh': he always knew the old hag had a soft spot. Just about all priestesses (with a few notable exceptions) seemed to. He glanced again at Kagome.

Making a split second decision, Inuyasha nodded. After all, it couldn't hurt to pay Kimura a visit. It had been a long time since he'd last seen his mother's grave, located on the fringe of the village. He was sure Miroku and Sango wouldn't object, especially if Kagome wanted to go, which she would: that girl was too tender-hearted for her own good. It would get her killed one day. Inuyasha felt a pang at that thought, which was quickly suppressed.

_Kagome won't die: not if I can help it. This won't be like Kikyo. _

Inuyasha looked away from Kagome and turned back to Shinichi.

"We'll go and take a look around," a pause after seeing Shinichi's delighted expression and Kaede's approving one, "I ain't promisin' anything though," Inuyasha warned.

"Thank you!" Shinichi celebrated. Inuyasha snorted: the boy acted too young to be a 14-year-old.

"Don't thank me, thank the old hag," Inuyasha jerked a thumb toward Lady Kaede's direction. "If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have given your request a second thought." Shinichi turned, about to thank the old priestess, but halted in his steps when a quiet voice spoke:

"I don't think you should go, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. Inuyasha whirled around and even Kaede starred. Kagome looked reluctant, but determined, "I'll tell you later, but please don't go." She looked at him and he could see that her words were hurting her too. He nodded wordlessly and she looked relieved and guilty.

_What the hell is going on?_

* * *

While Inuyasha was talking with Shinichi, Shippo had taken free liberty of Kaede's empty hut to play with the pair of swords that the traveler had propped up and left at Kaede's home for safekeeping.

The young fox demon had hefted the smaller of the two swords and commenced staging an epic duel with his shadow on the wall. Of course, for safety purposes and because Shippo wasn't a dimwit, he kept the sword in its sheath.

Shinichi's sword was hundreds of times light than Inuyasha's prized fang, but was still fairly heavy from Shippo's perspective. It wasn't long before Shippo grew tired and, panting, sat down against the wall and leaned the sword beside him.

It was then, resting against the wall, that Shippo finally noticed the emblem on the sheath of the sword that he had been playing with. It consisted of strangely written Japanese characters, swirling in on each other and decorated with fancy borderlines.

"H..Hibi…Hibiki…" Shippo read out loud. He raised a small hand to touch the symbol, but quickly pulled it back when the emblem grew slightly warm under his touch. How had he not noticed this before?

Curiosity enticed, Shippo reached out again: this time coating his hand with a bit of foxfire. Instead of burning the sheath, the foxfire seemed to be absorbed into the emblem. Shippo's eyes widened in excitement: this was _special_! It was not nearly as good as Inuyasha's sword, but it was pretty amazing for a normal _human_ to have. Actually, it was probably better than the swords of most lords.

Shippo experimented, touching foxfire to the sword again. His father had been a bit of an amateur metalworker and Shippo had inherited his parent's enthusiasm for strange swords.

He played with the emblem a little more, being careful not to break the sword. If he didn't know any better - because it just wasn't possible for a _human _to have a _demonic_ sword and still be _human_ - Shippo would have said that the sword and sheath had slight demonic powers.

* * *

On the other side of the well, a middle-aged Tokyo businessman was returning home from work, taking the subway. He blinked and yawned: tired after a long day at the office. His business was prospering, which was all well and good, but that meant more work for him. At least he got a nice pay raise, though.

Weary, the man was nodding off when he felt his mind blank for half a second. In that brief moment, as he looked out from the subway, his whole perspective _changed_.

Instead of the bustling, busy city that he had lived in his whole life, Tokyo became a wasteland, filled with debris and ruin. The underground subway disappeared and he was walking down a tunnel: the very floor he stepped on was moist and littered with skeletons and water puddles. . His wrinkled business suit disappeared and was replaced with an old rag that faintly resembled traditional priest robes.

His mind changed too: his memories of prosperity and a happy family disappeared and were supplanted with poverty and illness. His wife had died, consumed by the darkness that had first fallen on the world 500 years ago. The human race was barely hanging on: reduced to living underground and in secret societies to hide from Naraku and his hoard of demons.

The man shuddered, a chill running down his spine as he blinked again. As suddenly as it had come, that timeline disappeared. He stared out the window of the subway, wide awake now, and gazed at his reflection on the glass. He looked the same as he'd always had: there was no sign of the gaunt, starving face that he had caught a glimpse of in a stray water puddle. He shook his head, tiredness overwhelming him, and dismissed the brief vision as a stress induced hallucination.

Less than five miles away and above ground, a young boy named Souta had been chasing after his wayward cat, Buuyo when he'd been overcome by a similar vision. The shrine had disappeared, having actually never existed in the first place, and Souta had disappeared too, having never been born. A flash of horror and the vision cleared, leaving a thoroughly disoriented Souta standing halfway down the shrine's steps.

He looked toward Buuyo and was surprised to see that the cat was spooked: hair on end, pupils dilated, fangs bared at an unseen foe. Souta walked down the steps and picked Buuyo up. Attempting to soothe the cat with an ear rub, Souta started back to his house.

He paused as he approached the well: he needed to tell Kagome about that vision. Souta may not have been an expert on demons, but he knew more than most other 8-year-old boys. After the adventure with the Noh Mask, he had read up on the subject and was now well aware of what demons could do. Granted, most of what he had read had been fiction, but he knew enough to guess that that vision he had had wasn't normal.

He shuddered, goose bumps rising up on his arms. He had a gut feeling that something big was about to happen.

_Ni-san, I hope you and Inuyasha are ok. _

* * *

_Author's note:_

_OK! We're finally starting to get in to the major plot of this story! If you're slightly confused: that's good. _

_Is anyone gonna try the challenge mentioned in chapter three? If so, there's some more clues in this chapter. Try the challenge: tax your brains a bit. The answer'll get more and more obvious as the story continues. _

_Also, there might be character death. Any guesses who?_

_**REVIEW. NOW. ASAP.** **If you don't I seriously may not continue updating this story**. If you don't I'm going to assume you don't like it or have no opinion on it , which means that there's really no point in me spending time to write this and update, so I'll move on to some other story idea. So if you actually want to read this, review. Not trying to sound mean here, but I'm not really sure if I want to continue. _


	5. Chapter 5

REVISED VERSION: CAUSE MY GRAMMAR WAS BAD AND INUYASHA WAS KINDA OOC (although that hasn't really been fixed)

Chapter 5 is up! And the mystery continues....

I'm also starting a new series of drabbles (called the Blooper Reel) and am taking requests. Just state characters from any manga or book or movie (from the list below) and give me a prompt and category (example: sweatdrops, humor, Naruto and Harry Potter. Another example: Inuyasha, Christmas, romance and fluff, pairing SangoMiroku), and I'll try to write it.

List: Inuyasha, Naruto, Ranma 1/2, Dollanganger Series by VC Andrew, Prince of Tennis, Fruits Basket, Peach Girl, Kitchen Princess, and a few more

Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me. Duh... I wouldn't be writing this if it did.....

So....enjoy!

Ignorance is Bliss

Chapter 5

* * *

Souta shuddered, goose bumps rising up on his arms. He had a gut feeling that something big was about to happen.

_Ni-san, I hope you and Inuyasha are ok. _

* * *

A dark haired man sat in a closed room, one hand resting on a propped up leg while the other was closed in a fist at his side. The light from the waning moon filtered through the paper screens on the man's right to illuminate his face. He reflexively curled his fist and tossed the object in his hand to catch the moonlight. Though he'd never show it, the moon made him nervous: it wouldn't be long before his human night

"Kanna," The man's voice was low and well articulated. At his command, an unnaturally pale girl appeared from the shadows, seeming to materialize out of nothingness. Kanna stepped forward, holding a large, elegant mirror in both hands.

"Naraku," The child's voice was a whisper: a sound from the wind. Her eyes were scary in their emptiness: she didn't seem to actually _exist_.

Kanna help out her mirror for Naraku to see. She closed her eyes and reached into her center, finding the chords that connected her with the looking glass. Bathing the chords with her demonic powers, she expertly manipulated the strings like a puppeteer. Once she got the tuning right, Kanna diffused herself into the strings and reopened her eyes.

She now had a bird's eye view of the world: her field of vision had left the dark room far behind and was now soaring free, like Kagura had always wanted to. She zoomed in on what appeared to be an ordinary castle.

The mirror flickered and swirled before clearing to reflect Kanna's vision. Naraku stared hungrily at the image.

"Look closer," Naraku commanded.

Kanna obeyed, zooming in until she could see the metal-enforced walls of the castle: a rare adaptation that had resulted from prosperity and encouragement of the artisan trade. Naraku nodded, satisfied, and brushed a strand of hair back from his forehead. He stayed like that for what seemed like hours: observing the comings and goings of the castle inhabitants from every angle.

He watched, seemingly intrigued by the tiniest details of castle life. To Naraku, the castle was like a machine with every part working perfectly in his favor.

Finally, content with his observations, he dismissed Kanna and turned his attention to the object in his hand. He opened his palm to reveal the almost completed Jewel of Four Souls.

_Eight pieces are missing: Inuyasha and his friends have five, Kohaku has the sixth, and Kikyo has the seventh. That leaves only one shard left. _

Naraku gave a barely perceptible smirk. Everything was in place: it was time to set his trump card in motion. If everything worked out, the power of the Shikon Jewel would only be the tip of the iceberg.

Far away, Tuzuki Castle _pulsed_.

In the forest surrounding the castle, a young priestess tensed, turning her head slowly to look in the direction of Lord Tuzuki's home. Kikyo frowned: Naraku was up to something.

* * *

By the time Kagome finally remembered the backpack and supplies that were still on her side of the Bone eater's well, it was past mid-afternoon of the next day. She had spent a restless night in Kaede's hut and had gotten up at dawn to talk to the priestess and Myouga (who had finally decided to show himself). Unfortunately, the two were as clueless as she was. The internet hadn't been kidding when it had said that Tuzuki Castle was inconspicuous: if it could evade the detection of a thousand year old flea that had traveled just about _everywhere_, the mysterious castle must have been _invisible_.

As Kagome climbed over to her side of the well and walked to her room, she quickly picked up her yellow bag. Inuyasha, who had followed her to the other side, was being kept downstairs by Souta: her little brother had seemed adamant on talking to at least one of them. As Kagome hefted her oversized bag on to her shoulder and prepared to walk out of her room, she stopped at the sight of her computer.

On a whim, she put down her bag and walked over to the monitor, turning it on. The screen whirled to life with a hum; her chair had somehow been set back in its proper place. She sat down and opened up another internet search.

After its disappearance, the castle had become infamous. Kagome reasoned that in her era, with modern technology connecting the whole world, there would be much more of the information she sought on Lord Tuzuki's holdings.

Quickly, she typed in the same search as last time and clicked on the same link that lead to the priest's journal entry. If she remembered correctly, there had been some general information on Tuzuki castle before the disappearance. She quickly skimmed through the article, subconsciously slowing down when she reached the descriptions of the mangled corpses. She held her breath as she neared the bit about the silver haired body, not really knowing what to expect.

As she actually read the small paragraph, though, she blinked. Kagome rubbed her eyes and stared at the computer monitor: her face contorted in an expression of disbelief.

…_Most of these bodies have been indentified as belonging to the staff and heads of the castle but, as we performed burial, we found a handful of corpses that belong to outsiders. We are puzzled to find that all except one of these bodies are mangled beyond recognition. These few corpses are the only signs of violence in this otherwise peaceful battle field. The one recognizable body is of a beautiful female priestess dressed in red and white and holding a broken bow. The members of a nearby village have already identified her as Lady Kikyo, a healer and a priestess that often visited to provide aid for the sick and elderly. We can only hope that she will rest in peace…_

It wasn't possible: Kagome drew a sharp breath in surprise. The victory that she had won last night now seemed to turn sour. Had she, by preventing Inuyasha from going, brought about Kikyo's demise?

_She's already died once,_ a little voice in her ear whispered, _it's not like she can miss a life she never had._ Kagome shook her head. Although she would rather have Kikyo die than Inuyasha, this wasn't a decision for her to make. Inuyasha had loved Kikyo and Kagome knew a large part of him still did. If she was going to be moral about this, she would have tell Inuyasha everything and let him make the decision on his own. Unfortunately, she had a pretty good idea what his decision would be.

On the other hand, if she was to be selfish, she would keep Inuyasha safe by letting Kikyo die again.

Kagome sighed: this becoming increasingly similar to those moral dilemma puzzles she and her friends had often used as a source of amusement on lazy days.

Kagome was spared further contemplation, however, when her bedroom door opened with a crash and Inuyasha walked in, holding Souta - like a puppy - by the scruff of his neck. She started in surprise and stared at the scene in front of her.

"Inuyasha! Put Souta down!" Kagome scolded. Inuyasha obeyed and Souta, looking more startled than scared, was placed back on his feet. The younger boy dusted himself off.

"Souta's got somethin' important to tell ya," Inuyasha answered by way of apology and pushed Souta forward.

"Souta?" Kagome clicked off the computer and turned her full attention to her little brother. She listened intently, eyes growing wider and wider as Souta related the tale of the vision that he had had yesterday night. Her younger brother seemed seriously concerned, suggesting that perhaps a demon was in Tokyo.

Kagome, on the other hand, had a different idea.

When she had previously thought of Tuzuki castle, she had not thought it possible for the single incident to have such long term repercussions. Apparently, in order for time to continue as it had, someone had to die.

Kagome's thoughts turned back to Kikyo. Was it possible that her death was now the reason for things remaining the way they were? Was Kagome's counterpart's apparent sacrifice the only thing keeping the timeline on track? If it was, than wasn't everything resolved? Time would continue the way it was suppose to and Inuyasha would survive: there was no need for her to worry over this anymore.

But still…

"Thank you Souta," Kagome absent-mindedly smiled at her little brother, "If you don't mind, I need to talk to Inuyasha alone for awhile."

* * *

The demon was in the form of a young boy: silver haired, blue eyed, and clothed like a prince in a lavish cloth made from the fire rat. His arms, despite their seeming frailness, were curled around a heavy sword made from the finest metal. He smiled, teeth evenly shaped like those of a human.

He existed in another dimension: taking up no space or time. He floated along in the darkness, waiting until he could _live_ again.

_It had been so long since he had last lived._

His soul feeder, a metallic creature that crept on its legs and morphed into a confusing array of shapes and colors, wound itself around his waist. It was attached to the pulse spot at his wrist: constantly supplying him with essence from the living world.

"Hibiki," a low voice sounded from nowhere and everywhere. The young boy frowned: was that his name? Hibiki?

"Hibiki," his soul feeder echoed, pulsing around his body.

"It won't be long now."

The last shard of the Shikon Jewel sparkled in the light of the darkness.

* * *

When Souta had left and closed the door behind him, Kagome moved to sit on her bed and patted the spot beside her: an invitation for Inuyasha to sit down as well. He sat, crossing his legs in an Indian style, and waited for her to start. She had promised him an explanation last night and now it looked like she might be living up to that promise.

"Inuyasha," Kagome started, and then hesitated. Taking and deep breathe and deciding to just _get it over with_, she dove in. She talked faster than normal, her voice weaving in and out of pitch with anxiety, but Inuyasha's fine tuned ears could easily pick out everything she said.

It gave him a shock to his core.

At the same time, it explained everything: Kagome's strange behavior, the early return, her refusal to help Shinichi.

_She'd wanted to protect him_. _She didn't want him to die_.

Inuyasha's heart sang with that realization. Despite every other detail of Kagome's rather morbid tale, Inuyasha felt like breaking out into a smile. If this had been a cheesy romantic movie, this was where the rose pedals would start flying and violins would be playing. As it was, Inuyasha had to make do with sweeping Kagome into a hug: a grin on the corner of his mouth.

_I don't deserve someone as caring as you. _

"Inuyasha!" Kagome protested: voice muffled by his hatori, "Didn't you hear what I just said!"

"Don't worry about it Kagome," Inuyasha pulled out of the spontaneous and rather uncharacteristic hug, "Nothing's gonna happen to me. It's gonna take more than some old castle to kill me." He sounded oddly sincere, not like he was boasting at all.

Kagome sighed. _How did I know he would say something like that? _

"Does that mean…"

"I'm sorry Kagome, but I think you know that I can't let Kikyo die again. She's...important...to me," Inuyasha hesitated, eyes begging Kagome to understand.

Kagome nodded: she had expected that.

"But you're important to me too," Inuyasha quickly continued, smelling the beginning of tears, "And….it ain't easy for me to say this: I ain's great with words, but… You're important to me too. You _matter_ to me, maybe more than Kikyo. So quit crying, cause I ain't gonna go die and leave you and everyone else all alone! You won't get rid of me that easy!"

Kagome had to chuckle at the indignant tone in Inuyasha's voice. By the time she had wiped away her tears; Inuyasha had hefted her backpack onto his shoulders and was holding out an outstretched hand.

_I have to believe that Inuyasha's right. _

"The monk and Sango should be back by now. If we pack tonight, we can leave tomorrow. Shinichi will be thrilled."

* * *

Author's Note:

And that's the end of chapter 5. This mystery should be getting more obvious now. Any ideas? Here's a hint: the fact that Hibiki was an artisan is NOT a coincidence. Metalworking is a specialty of Tuzuki Castle.

By the way, out of curiousity, how many people reading this want Kikyo out of the picture?

If I'm lucky, Chapter Six will be up by early next week!

Read and Review!

Again, out of curiosity, does anyone reading this watch American Idol?


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